


She's a work in progress

by Nisra



Category: League of Legends
Genre: Emotional Baggage, Emotional Hurt, Emotions, Implied/Referenced Character Death, Multi, Original Character Death(s), Other, for the record this is a mix of old and new lore, so sort of my own fanon?
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-01-14
Updated: 2018-01-13
Packaged: 2019-03-04 14:57:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,242
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13367115
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nisra/pseuds/Nisra
Summary: Succubus is a little bit of a dishonest description of Ahri, no one knows what circles through her head.





	She's a work in progress

**Author's Note:**

> This is a work in progress piece. Will be updated every so often so please check back or bookmark for updates. :>

It wasn’t uncommon for storms to hit the more tropical regions of Runeterra, Ionia being no different- its magic creating arid deserts and lush rainforests mere minutes away from each other among other strange phenomena. However, the storms had been slowly getting worse, the rain was heavier and settled onto the leaves of the towering trees until pools built up on them, only draining to the floor once the weight became too much for it to bear. Tiny floating lights illuminated the raindrops as they fell, occasionally being smothered by the water only for another to take its place soon after. They acted as a trail for the creatures that lived there, to safety among the plants as to avoid illness or those that hunted in the chaos of the weather fluxes. One such creature seemed to be out of her luck, her tails heavy with rainwater and her normally neat braid in tatters down her back. Her hand trailed the bark of the trees, leaving small scratch marks in the bark as she went, her steps slow, almost calculated as her eyes drifted into the foliage ahead. A lone umbrella bush soon became her point of interest, large enough for her to fit under one of the leaves comfortably and angled that the water dripped onto the forest floor- no chance of a cave in. Perfect. She knelt and crawled her way under, the cold beginning to pierce her skin now she was finally in the dry, prompting her to shudder, shaking her tails to free them of some of the water weight. With a hand she wiped the soaked strands of hair off her face, leaning against a tree root the leaf gave shelter to, the only sounds being her breathing and the soft rainfall above. The rain had begun suddenly, leaving her stranded in the forest until it gave way as to not fall prey to the many predators that lurked. Her situation was not ideal- her clothes, fur and hair were soaked and the chill that it brought seemed to only worsen the more she sat, alas her eyes were giving way and her concentration was waning. She required sleep and it would find her before she could possibly evade it. Her only real option was to try and curl up, to seek some rest before she must move again. Thus, she lay herself down, curling her wet tails around her as her eyes closed, left only to darkness.

Until the tiny lights flickering in her eyes began their ritual.

**“You’d better pray you don’t wake”**

_“Perhaps a creature will snatch you in the night”_

“Maybe the locals enjoy hunting fox.”

She squeezed her eyes tighter, holding herself close as the taunting persisted, her eyes filling with tears that would accompany her until sleep took its hold on her consciousness, leaving the voices to plague her dreams. 

A drop of mildew awoke the girl, landing on her nose as it dripped off the point of the leaf. It took her a moment to grasp where she was- without the harsh rain the forest was quite beautiful.

Flowers of all colours reflecting sunlight like stained glass onto the browns and greys of the forest floor and walls, creating a mosaic of beauty for one to venture through. Tiny insects buzzed and fluttered throughout, and birds called and sang up into the canopy, their songs carrying a mixture of messages, stories and music that they’d retained from traveler’s past. Pulling herself up off the floor, she brushed the leaves and twigs off her clothing and out of her hair, tearing at her braid to untangle it, just choosing to leave her hair down for the moment instead of fighting to tie it back once more. As she left her temporary home, she searched for her scratch marks, following them back, gazing at her surroundings as she did- while some colours still seemed dull to her eyes, there were vibrant reds, oranges, yellows and purples painted across her world- the sky captivated her most as it seemed to sway like grass in the wind only in shades of purples and greys rather than green with soft pink clouds like mist scattering through the blades. 

Her trail soon leads her to the mouth of the forest, tapering off into more normal trees and a slim stone path to one of the central villages. She came to a stop as it faded into view, tracing the outline with her eyes before looking down, clenching her teeth.

**“You’re not wanted there.”**

_“Just turn back and get lost again.”_

“They’ll put you in your place if you even try.”

With a sharp inhale, she set forth for the village, stopping just short of the wall to reveal a small storage compartment where a hooded cloak was stored. She whisked it over her form and replace the rock, pulling it tight to her upper form and letting it flow after her hips to hide her tails, hooding herself and pulling her hair forward and out the front, heading inside as she did. Perhaps it was guilt or loneliness that brought her back, but that didn’t seem to matter in the end as she stood in the town center, watching the people calmly going about their business- delivering groceries to friends and family, children excitedly playing with a ball out in the street on a small ‘pitch’ they’d drawn in chalk, lovers entwined in each other’s arms. The girl caught herself copying the action with her own arms around herself before withdrawing, making a fist and moving on. 

There was one stall owner who recognized her and didn’t seem inclined to question her whereabouts or where she seemed to disappear off to for months at a time and this was no exception, offering her a sickly-sweet smile as she approached his small fruit stand.

“Why, hello there, Ahri, it’s been a while since I last saw you. How have you been?”

“I’ve been alright. The weather seems to catch me at the worst of times. Yourself?” Her own lips curl into a smile, though it seems the expression is more foreign to her.

“Caught in the storm last night, were you? Yes, yes, it seems our weather is getting all out of whack once more. I’m sure it’ll clear up eventually.” Pausing, his eyes scour her face, seeming to take note of every detail, “Say, are you here to do business or just chit chat?”

Her eyes drop, checking his items- a couple of common fruits to the nearby forests, some home-grown vegetables and the likes, nothing she hadn’t seem before and nothing worth her time.

“Two of those, please.” She points to some apples, reaching into the cloak and producing a small handful of gold for him as he passes her a bag with the product in it. He takes the money, their hands brushing for an uncomfortably long time. Her hand whips back to her side at the mere interaction. “Ah, yeah, no problem. Um. Have a nice day! Stay safe.” She nods softly before turning, sauntering away from his stall in an uncomfortable state. 

**“What was that? You trying to kill another one?”**

_“Has little Ahri got a soft spot?”_

“Hah I bet he’ll go down the same way as the artist-“

“Enough.” Ahri snapped, her eyes turning a mint green rather than their usual cerulean blue- it would quiet the voices for now, but she would be unable to quell them for long with the limited strength she had left. It had been a few days since she had last eaten and it was taking its toll. Only barely was she able to keep her form absolute. Tonight, she had to indulge.

Tonight, she had to embrace the monster.

The daylight was still strong as she coasted the village, her gaze haphazardly drifting from person to person, no longer seeing them as people but as meals, as if she were shopping for lunch. Expression seemed to leave her face as she analyzed her options carefully. A better bet, she thought, would be several meals- the first being a starter so she can gain back her strength then the second could take its place as the main course, gifting her power for a while longer. Finally her gaze landed towards a young woman sat on a bench, her hand clasping her side as she heaved for breath- some form of injury either war or medical related leaving her open to the foxes more favored methods. 

Walking over to the bench, Ahri sat herself behind the woman, offering a soft smile and taking out one of the apples she bought earlier. “You seemed in pain and I thought you could maybe do with something to get your strength back so, here, take it. You need it more than I do.” The woman’s eyes widened before she broke into an enthusiastic grin “Aw, thank you there stranger. And who do I owe the pleasure?”

“My name is Ahri.” She uttered her name so sickly sweet, noticing a soft tinge of pink on the woman’s face.

“My, that’s a mighty nice name. I’m Tylla. Nice t’meet you.” Her accent indicates she’s not from around here, if her clothing didn’t give it away first. She bore dark grey sweat guards with brown overalls covered in what looked like little gold and bronze nick-knacks. Her boots were clunky and black and her teal hair was cut short and gelled back with flakes of dirt and dust in it. Probably a Zaunite.

“The pleasure is all mine.” The fox retorts, moving ever so slightly closer to Tylla, her eyes softening a little as she notices how tense she still seemed. The two share gazes for only a moment before both flush, giggling and letting their gazes flit around somewhat. Only a second passes before they continue their small talk, chattering back and forth for what felt like hours as people passed, the sun slowly setting on the village, leaving the warm hues to wash over the pair as their conversation trailed off once more.

“So, you got a place t’stay?”

“I actually don’t. I’m sort of a traveler and I wasn’t really expecting to stay here so long.” She could feel her gut clench at her lies. “What about you?”

“Actually” Tylla said “I’m rentin a little cottage just out the back of the village if y’d like to stay the night?”

“I’d be honored- that’d be lovely.” Nodding, Ahri flicked back her hair into her hood, standing as the other did, rushing to hold her balance. With an apology, they headed towards the cottage without another word, letting the fox’s mind wander. Her eyes caught that of another- the stall owner- as they left. She tore them away, gritting her teeth once more.

The cottage was as described- small yet homely, more so with the golden hues of the setting sun streaming through the little cross hatched windows, tearing through the blinds like a knife through butter and streaking into the back room. As the lock clicked, Ahri’s ears twitch under the hood as she turned to Tylla, her eyes glowing a soft pink, fading the other’s to the same shade. She dropped her cloak, revealing her tails and ears fully as the teal-haired woman stared, “Wow, you really been hiding this under that raggy cloak? It’s beautiful.” Her words were airy, like she were sleep talking. She continued to mumble compliments as the fox approached, getting close enough to the other’s face that their lips were almost touching, inhaling softly as her form glowed a faint teal. Tylla’s essence began flowing into Ahri- memories, thoughts, feelings, dreams, overwhelming her as she could only pick out a few.

The girl must have been around 13 as she watched her brother in handcuffs, disappear out of her life. The grief and anger flooding like an ocean during a storm and mixing with confusion into a soup of agony.

Working in the mines- toxic fumes and painful hauls, saving up every tiny piece of gold she gained from the work in a fund titled ‘bail’. Determination tasted like spices, tantalizing yet special. It faded quickly into a more salty emotion as the fund changed name- funeral.

While her fill had been satisfied for the moment, she decided to take just a little more, just to get her by, she reasoned. But once the sickly sweet taste hit her throat, when the images of Tylla’s lips pressed against another womans flooded her mind, Ahri lurched back, breaking the connection and dropping the Zaunite to the floor as she retched, tearing flooding her eyes as her legs gave way. Kneeling on the floor, her body protested the emotion, her sobbing growing into full on yowls as the flavor slowly left her taste buds. 

**“Hehe, I guess you really aren’t over him.”**

_“Looks like little foxy isn’t ready to move on~”_

**_“Why…”_ **

A new voice joined her choir as she lay down, curling into herself as her screams died down to gentle cries once more, the gentle yet firm accent of a mainlander. The confidence lost but clearly recognizable Zaun accent.

**_“I thought you were an angel...”_ **

It took merely an hour for Ahri’s agony to slowly lull her into a painful slumber, one sentence stuck in her mind and tormenting her even in her deepest of sleep.

**_“But you’re nothing but a demon.”_ **


End file.
